The comparative analysis of catumaxomab-mediated cytotoxicity obtained for the individual ethnic subgroups did not reveal major inter-ethnic differences although genetic polymorphisms for FcγR IIa/IIIa had been identified among donors. Even though a wider variability was observed among Caucasians, the potency range observed with immune effector cells of Japanese, Korean, Black African and Hispanic was found to be within the potency range observed for the Caucasian ethnicity.

Conclusions

No impact of ethnic background or FcγRIIa/IIIa polymorphism on the immune cell-mediated pharmacological activity of the trifunctional antibody catumaxomab could be identified in vitro. Therefore, it can be assumed that patients with a different ethnic background may also benefit from catumaxomab therapy as already demonstrated for Caucasian patients.